Dominican University of California

Dominican University of California is an independent university of Catholic heritage located 12 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin County, California. Founded in 1890 by the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, Dominican enjoys a century-long reputation for excellence in scholarship, research, and community outreach.

The University offers more than 60 academic programs that reflect the diversity and creativity of the faculty and students.

With more than 2,200 graduate and undergraduate students and a student to faculty ratio of 11:1, Dominican is able to successfully blend personal attention associated with smaller schools with the academic resources of a larger university.

Student demographics

International Students: Coming from 22 different countries, international students form 3% of the total student body.

http://www.dominican.edu/about/facts

ESL program and/or support services

Students who need to improve their English skills before entering Dominican University of California have the convenience of attending a world class language center located on Dominican’s campus.

ELS Language Centers has been the leader in Intensive English training since 1961. ELS students share the cafeteria with Dominican students and are able to participate in many Dominican activities.

Instead of meeting a minimum TOEFL score, students are able to fulfill Dominican’s English requirement by completing level 112 in the ELS program. In addition, Dominican will issue letters of acceptance to ELS students who have met the University’s normal academic requirements.

Official Transcripts: Foreign transcript(s) must be translated into English. Transcripts must be mailed from the institution. Scanned or emailed transcripts are not acceptable.

Credential Evaluation: Foreign transcript(s) must be evaluated by an accredited evaluation company. Dominican accepts credential evaluations from American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), aacrao.org, or any NACES approved member organization, naces.org.*Candidates who select World Education Services (WES) as their NACES member organization may elect to submit a WES ICAP (course-by-course) evaluation. The WES ICAP evaluation can fulfill the official transcript requirement, as well, as long as the WES ICAP evaluation is delivered to the Office of Admissions directly from WES and includes a copy of the official transcripts which were evaluated. It should be noted that official transcripts are delivered electronically with the evaluation through WES.

English proficiency requirement is also satisfied by completing Level 112 English for Academic Purposes (EAP) at ELS Language Centers, or the successful completion of 24 transferable semester units or 36 transferable quarter units at an English-speaking institution. (Please note that this requirement is waived for all students who have spent one academic year in the U.S. school system.) Please note, students are able to fulfill Dominican’s English requirement by completing level 112 in the ELS program. In addition, Dominican will issue conditional letters of acceptance to ELS students who have submitted an otherwise complete Application for Admission and have met the University’s academic requirements.

Personal Essay of 500 Words

Letter of Recommendation

Bank Statement: All international students must submit a bank statement showing sufficient funds are available to support them for one year. 2014-15 estimated cost of attendance is $64,516 USD.

Affidavit of Financial Support: If the bank statement is not in the student’s name, the account holder must complete this form.

Photocopy of Passport Photo Page

Undergraduate Cost of attendance and financial assistance

2014-15 Undergraduate Academic Year Budget

Live with Parents

Live On Campus

Live Off Campus

TUITION(12–17 units/semester)

$41,280

$41,280

$41,280

Fees (Campus Comp/Activity)

$450

$450

$450

Room and Board

$4,518

$13,380

$4,518

Medical Insurance (estimate)

$4,500

$4,500

$4,500

Books/Supplies

$1,746

$1,746

$1,746

Transportation

$1,134

$864

$1,134

Personal Expenses

$3,132

$ 2,296

$3,132

TOTAL

$56,760

$64,516

$56,760

Graduate Admission Requirements

International graduate candidates must complete both program specific graduate admission requirements and the international admission requirements (outlined below). In addition to the program specific admissions requirements, international candidates must submit the following:

Applicants of the MBA program should contact Robbie Hayes at robbie.hayes@dominican.edu to discuss the MBA-specific credential evaluation process.

Candidates of all other graduate programs will need to select an accredited company to complete the credential evaluation. Dominican accepts credential evaluations from American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO),www.aacrao.org, or any NACES approved member organization (www.naces.org).

Candidates who select World Education Services (WES) as their NACES member organization may elect to submit a WES ICAP (course-by-course) evaluation. The WES ICAP evaluation can fulfill the official transcript requirement as well as long as the WES ICAP evaluation is delivered to the Office of Admissions directly from WES and includes a copy of the official transcripts you had evaluated. It should be noted that official transcripts are delivered electronically with the evaluation through WES.

Candidates who completed a three-year undergraduate degree in India are encouraged to use WES as their NACES approved member organization. Dominican only accepts three-year degrees from India that have been recognized by WES. For more information on the evaluation of three-year degrees from India, please visit www.wes.org/educators/pdf/indiapolicypacket.pdf

2. International students from countries where English is not an official language must demonstrate English proficiency. Proficiency can be demonstrated with one of the following:

An official transcript demonstrating that the applicant completed one academic year at a U.S. college or university

Completed Level 112 English for Academic Purposes (EAP) with a 3.0 GPA at an ELS Language Center.

Please note, students who have met the university’s academic requirements, but have not yet satisfied the English requirement, may apply for “conditional admission” based upon eventual completion of the required ELS Language Centers level. To learn more about the ELS Language Center’s program located on our campus, and how to apply for conditional admission, please visit www.els.edu/sanfrancisconorthbay.

3. Bank Statement: All international students must submit a bank statement that demonstrates that sufficient funds are available to support the student for one year. Please see the Cost of Attendance for the program to which you are applying.

4. Affidavit of Financial Support: If the bank statement is not in the student’s name, the account holder must submit this form.

Dominican University’s Career and Internship Services offers career development programs and provide resources to connect students with employers. They assist Dominican students with exploring internship and career options as well as finding paid and nonpaid internships.

Student activities and campus life

Dominican University of California is located in the city of San Rafael in Marin County. The campus is just a brief walk from the town center, outdoor cafes and boutique shops.

The Marin Civic Center, designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, is a few miles away. The Civic Center is home to the Marin Center, a famed performance venue for a wide variety of musicians and theater artists.

The Mill Valley Film Festival and the Rafael Theater are home to independent and international cinema. The Belrose theater and the Marin Theater Company offer dancing, acting and improvisation lessons.

Nearby are dozens of public parks, recreation facilities, and an array of beaches overlooking the bay or the ocean. You can explore sailing, kayaking, and windsurfing as well as golf, tennis, horseback riding, hiking, or mountain biking.

Beyond San Rafael you can discover a beautiful sights and destinations such as the Marin Headlands, Sausalito, Muir Woods, Stinson Beach, China Camp, Mt. Tamalpais, and Point Reyes National Seashore. There is also a collection of hidden spots in Marin should you decide to venture off the beaten path.

SAN FRANCISCO

San Francisco, what locals simply call “The City,” is just 12 miles south from Dominican. A brief car, ferry or bus ride will take you to the cultural hub of the western United States.

Discover the unique soul of The City as you dine on fresh seafood at the Fisherman’s Warf on Pier 39, unwind at a baseball game at AT&T Park, or cruise Lombard Street, one of America’s steepest, curviest streets.

You’ll leave your heart in this famed metropolis when you discover some of its unique neighborhoods. North Beach, San Francisco’s Little Italy, serves as the main nightlife district and is filled with notoriously enticing restaurants. It is also the historic epicenter for the Beat Generation.

Lose yourself in the Haight district’s bohemian atmosphere lined with funky storefronts and Painted Lady Victorian homes. Explore the birth place of the hippie culture in this unique neighborhood.

Home to the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, the Marina District greets visitors as they cross the Golden Gate Bridge. Stimulate your mind at the Palace of Fine Arts and Exploratorium, the only two buildings left standing after the 1915 World’s Fair.

The City is packed with sights-to-see and a myriad of attractions:

SFMoMA

Alcatraz

Coit Tower

City Hall

Union Square

Golden Gate Park (The Academy of Sciences, de Young Museum)

The San Francisco Zoo

THE EAST BAY

Berkeley, jam-packed with trendy clothing stores and vintage record outlets, is a few miles east of Dominican. A stroll downtown illuminates this social town bursting with unique bookstores and pubs. Soak up a breathtaking view of the bay at the Berkeley Marina or enjoy horse racing at Golden Gate Fields, the only major race track in Northern California.

A quick excursion south to Oakland takes you to the Oakland Coliseum, a multi-purpose outdoor stadium boasting football’s Raiders and baseball’s Athletics. Attend a Warrior’s basketball game at the Oracle Arena’s indoor sports ground or watch it transform to a spectacular amphitheater for concerts.

Broaden your horizons at the Oakland Museum of California, which converges art, natural science, and history under one roof. Encounter the jewel of Oakland, Lake Merritt, and its silhouette of lights.

AND BEYOND

A quick trip north will fulfill your need for speed at Infineon Raceway, (host of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, and IZOD IndyCar Series). Located at the base of Sonoma County, it serves as the entrance to the Sonoma and Napa Valley Wine Country. Go south and you’ll be on your way to Santa Cruz. With more time to spare, you can venture to Mendocino, Lake Tahoe, Monterey, Big Sur, Carmel, or Yosemite.